BajiRav 2,122

Microsoft is set to announce it will remove DRM restrictions on Xbox One games and the need for you to have the new Xbox "always online".

Sources tell whathifi.com that Microsoft is set to announce the changes later today, with games developers being informed first.

The Xbox One was announced last week at E3 alongside the new PS4, with Sony's new PlayStation drawing first blood thanks to the higher Xbox One price and apparent restrictions surrounding games and offline play.

Microsoft announced that users would need to connect the Xbox One to the internet once every 24 hours in order to keep playing.

DRM (digital rights management) would also seemingly restrict you from sharing Xbox One games with friends or indeed selling them on second-hand.

Sony was quick to capitalise, changing the PS4 launch to poke fun at the Xbox One's perceived restrictive nature and highlighting the fact that there would be no such issues aroud the PS4 (even if PS4 games publishers' can seemingly still choose to add DRM).

It seems Microsoft has listened and is set to change its mind on both DRM on Xbox One games and the always online requirement.

More details as we get them.

I have not heard of whathifi.com until this thread. Take with a good amount of salt?

Last week at E3, the excitement, creativity and future of our industry was on display for a global audience.

For us, the future comes in the form of Xbox One, a system designed to be the best place to play games this year and for many years to come. As is our heritage with Xbox, we designed a system that could take full advantage of advances in technology in order to deliver a breakthrough in game play and entertainment. We imagined a new set of benefits such as easier roaming, family sharing, and new ways to try and buy games. We believe in the benefits of a connected, digital future.

Since unveiling our plans for Xbox One, my team and I have heard directly from many of you, read your comments and listened to your feedback. I would like to take the opportunity today to thank you for your assistance in helping us to reshape the future of Xbox One.

You told us how much you loved the flexibility you have today with games delivered on disc. The ability to lend, share, and resell these games at your discretion is of incredible importance to you. Also important to you is the freedom to play offline, for any length of time, anywhere in the world.

So, today I am announcing the following changes to Xbox One and how you can play, share, lend, and resell your games exactly as you do today on Xbox 360. Here is what that means:

An internet connection will not be required to play offline Xbox One games ? After a one-time system set-up with a new Xbox One, you can play any disc based game without ever connecting online again. There is no 24 hour connection requirement and you can take your Xbox One anywhere you want and play your games, just like on Xbox 360.

Trade-in, lend, resell, gift, and rent disc based games just like you do today ? There will be no limitations to using and sharing games, it will work just as it does today on Xbox 360.

In addition to buying a disc from a retailer, you can also download games from Xbox Live on day of release. If you choose to download your games, you will be able to play them offline just like you do today. Xbox One games will be playable on any Xbox One console -- there will be no regional restrictions.

These changes will impact some of the scenarios we previously announced for Xbox One. The sharing of games will work as it does today, you will simply share the disc. Downloaded titles cannot be shared or resold. Also, similar to today, playing disc based games will require that the disc be in the tray.

We appreciate your passion, support and willingness to challenge the assumptions of digital licensing and connectivity. While we believe that the majority of people will play games online and access the cloud for both games and entertainment, we will give consumers the choice of both physical and digital content. We have listened and we have heard loud and clear from your feedback that you want the best of both worlds.

Thank you again for your candid feedback. Our team remains committed to listening, taking feedback and delivering a great product for you later this year.

+warwagon 10,664

I don't think it's early at all. I mean to meet their launch they would have to start producing these machines in the next month or so. So they would want to have the modified software that would remove the need to call home in the launch code.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

macrosslover 340

I must be the only one hoping in some way it's not true. The only reason I say that is because I like the possibility of being able to share a game from my friend or family's library just like I normally would be able to if they gave me the disk.

While I wouldn't be upset to see the "always-online" requirement go and some of the restrictions on used games go, I hope it doesn't cause them to take away what would have been a great feature IMO.

I personally never cared about trading in used games cause I buy my games to own but I could understand why a lot of people would be upset with that. As far as the internet requirement, I have no problem with that as well, but I can agree 24 hours is too short a time. All that said I can't see how they can backtrack from this. They've made their case that the console being always online and "cloud connected" means a better game experience for the gamer and developer since they can offload to the cloud. Take that guarantee of connectivity away and I don't know what they have left.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

MikeChipshop 3,457

I must be the only one hoping in some way it's not true. The only reason I say that is because I like the possibility of being able to share a game from my friend or family's library just like I normally would be able to if they gave me the disk.

While I wouldn't be upset to see the "always-online" requirement go and some of the restrictions on used games go, I hope it doesn't cause them to take away what would have been a great feature IMO.

I personally never cared about trading in used games cause I buy my games to own but I could understand why a lot of people would be upset with that. As far as the internet requirement, I have no problem with that as well, but I can agree 24 hours is too short a time. All that said I can't see how they can backtrack from this. They've made their case that the console being always online and "cloud connected" means a better game experience for the gamer and developer since they can offload to the cloud. Take that guarantee of connectivity away and I don't know what they have left.

Absolutely this.

I highly doubt this has any bearing in reality, i'd imagine that they may be a bit more lax on the rules but to do away with them completely will go against everything they're trying to do and i hope they don't do this.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

spacer 983

Apparently it might be real...the official Xbox blog added this to the Xbox One's requirements section. (from NeoGaf)

Update on June 19, 2013: As a result of feedback from the Xbox community, we have changed certain policies for Xbox One reflected in this blog. Some of this information is no longer accurate ? please check here for the latest.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

firey 3,715

On Xbox.com it appears that it is potentially going to be confirmed...

Update on June 19, 2013: As a result of feedback from the Xbox community, we have changed certain policies for Xbox One reflected in this blog. Some of this information is no longer accurate ? please check here for the latest